Keizertimes., February 12, 2016, Image 1

SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 10
SECTION A
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
$1.00
Keizer joins homeless initiative
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
After months of planning, the
Mid-Willamette Homeless Initiative
is ready to begin.
During last week's Keizer City
Council meeting, the Keizer
members of the task force were
approved unanimously.
Mayor Cathy Clark has had
conversations in recent months with
Salem Mayor Anna Peterson as well
as Marion County Commissioner
Janet Carlson. Thus, it's no surprise
Clark will be one of fi ve Keizerites
on the task force, which has its fi rst
meeting next Wednesday, Feb. 17.
Polk County will also be represented.
Joining Clark on the task force
will be councilor Kim Freeman,
Patty Ignatowski, Verena Wessel and
Shaney Starr. Clark has also asked
Keizer police chief John Teague to mation, to get to very complex issues.
serve on the technical advisory team.
“This just came from meeting with
“We recognize we have home- other leaders,” she added. “We will
less members of the community,” work together to fi nd what pieces
Clark
said.
we need to put
“As a result
into place to
“It's not a one
of Commis-
make housing
city or a one
sioner Carl-
secure for these
son, mayor
county issue; it's people.”
Peterson and
The Mid-
something we
myself having
Willamette
need to solve
conversation,
V a l l e y
we thought
Community
collaboratively.”
it would be
A c t i o n
good to have
Agency's 2015
— Cathy Clark, Keizer Mayor
conversations
Homeless
to
address
Count Report
these issues. It's not a one city or a identifi ed 1,660 people experiencing
one county issue; it's something we homelessness in Marion and Polk
need to solve collaboratively. We will Counties. The report identifi ed
have technical advisors like Chief obstacles to fi nding safe and
Teague with a wide variety of infor- affordable housing and the need for
housing assistance.
According to a press release from
the City of Salem, the Feb. 17 meeting
will take place in the Anderson
Room of the Salem Library (585
Liberty Street SE) from 4 to 6 p.m.
The meeting is open to the public.
“This is a pressing and complex
issue that warrants a strong,
community partnership to fi nd
solutions,” Peterson said in the press
release. “This collaborative approach
will increase our success.”
The task force is scheduled to
meet until February 2017, unless
additional time is needed.
Contributing factors such as mental
illness, addiction, lack of education
and the need for transportation, as
well as the challenges of unique
populations such as youth and/or
KEDC looks
at future
PAGE A2
Please see HOMELESS, Page A9
KAA Student
Art Show
PAGE A3
Family affair for the Whites Blind Date on the move
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
First Scott White honored
his dad.
Then it was Scott himself
getting an even bigger honor.
During the Keizer First
Citizen and Awards Banquet
on Jan. 23, there were 14
Pairings
of
Excellence
recipients, with Scott, owner
of Keizer Big Town Hero,
honoring
father
Glenn
White as “Big Town Hero
Extraordinaire” for his help at
the restaurant.
Then it was time for the
announcement of the 2015
Merchant of the Year. Joe
KEIZERTIMES/Craig Murphy
Egli, last year's recipient of Scott White (far left) celebrates his Merchant of the Year
the clock award, handled the Award with father Glenn and son Corey on Jan. 23.
introduction.
“We get to add one 'sure' or 'absolutely' we can like to call up Scott White.”
person to the list that is do this, no matter how dumb
Scott hugged Egli and
more than qualifi ed,” Egli or stupid the idea. They joked about the long
said. “Everybody knows this make it happen. They take introduction.
person. Not
care of it.
“Five years ago my kids
because they
“They are and I thought it would
advertise a lot,
enthusiastic be a lot of fun to open a
“…they won't
not
because
about what sandwich shop in this town,”
they spend a say yes and
they do.” he Scott said. “We found out
lot of money
added. “The fi ve years later it was a lot
on things, it's they won't
p r o d u c t of work and just a little bit
because they're
they sell is of fun. But if it wasn't for
always
out say no. They
a byproduct everyone in this room and
there
doing
of
their this community, we wouldn't
things in our say ‘sure’ or
attitude. It's be able to give back as we
c o m m u n i t y.
a welcoming have to the community and
They're always ‘absolutely’…”
atmosphere the schools. Thank you very
saying
yes.
time much everybody.”
— Joe Egli every
Actually, they
you go in
Scott went on to thank
don't
ever
there.
You his family members, who
actually say yes. If you ever always hear your name. This were sitting at his table.
have a conversation with this person is family. Working in a Daughter Kalynn is the Big
person, they won't say yes and family businesses, you realize Town Hero manager, while
they won't say no. They say how important family is. I'd Please see WHITES, Page A7
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
Don't you hate it when
your Blind Date gets moved to
a different location?
Members of the Keizer
Public Arts Commission
(KPAC) believe a move will
be good.
Blind Date, by the way, is
the name of the art sculpture
currently in front of Copper
Creek Mercantile on River
Road.
At their meeting in late
January, KPAC members voted
to move the sculpture since it's
too small to adequately fi ll the
large pad in front of the store.
After some discussion of
potential locations, KPAC
members agreed with Lore
Christopher's suggestion to
move Blind Date to the focal
point, also known as McGee-
Newton Park or the Keizer
Corner at the corner of
Chemawa and River Roads
where the fountain is.
The KPAC motion was
forwarded to the Keizer
City Council. Councilors
unanimously agreed with the
recommendation at their Feb.
1 meeting.
No
timeline
was
mentioned during either
meeting. Nate Brown, director
of Community Development
for Keizer, said on Tuesday the
move would happen as soon
as Keizer Public Works sets a
new pad at the planter area of
Focal Point.
Blind Date was one of
several sculptures put up
Honey wins
Service to
Ed Award
PAGE A5
KEIZERTIMES fi le/Craig Murphy
The Blind Date sculpture is
moving from Copper Creek
Mercantile to the Focal Point.
around town last year as a new
commitment to public art in
the city. The one attracting
the most attention was the
large Bouchers diamond ring.
Due to fears the ring could be
construed as advertising, the
sculpture was put in front of
Sonic's Drive-In further south
along River Road, a placement
Christopher sharply disagreed
with.
While KPAC members
liked the placement of most
sculptures, a concern arose
over Blind Date being too
small for its location. At recent
meetings KPAC members
have gone over pictures of
Please see MOVE, Page A7
Budget woes discussed by Parks Board
KEIZERTIMES/File photo
Keizer Parks Board members have been debating if voters
would approve more funds for parks in the city.
By CRAIG MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
It looks to be another tight budget year for
the parks department in Public Works in Keizer.
That helped launch another discussion of how
to bring in more funds at Tuesday’s Keizer Parks
and Recreation Advisory Board meeting.
The discussion got going when Robert
Johnson, Parks supervisor for the city, gave a
preview of the upcoming 2016-17 fi scal year
budget.
“I’ve been given another status quo budget,”
Johnson said. “Bottom line, it doesn’t increase at
all. We know the challenges we had this year and
it will be more challenging as we get no more
funding.”
Johnson said the cost of temporary employees
– a proposal to hire an additional full-time
employee last year didn’t get approved – has gone
up 23 percent or about $10,000. He and Bill
Lawyer, Public Works director, looked at options
Swimmers
to districts
PAGE A11
and determined the money could be made up
in only two places: pulling $10,000 in funding
designated for Keizer Little League Park or from
the Parks Board’s matching grant program.
“That covers the cost increase,
but includes no more hours,
which we need,” Johnson said.
“We’re just trying to stay afl oat.
We’re not seeing an increase
(in general fund revenue), from
what I’ve been told.”
Johnson said the situation
R. Johnson
reinforces what has become
a hot topic for Parks Board
members at recent meetings.
“This shows how important it is to be
searching for more permanent money,” he said.
“It’s very important.”
Brandon Smith, the Keizer City Council
liaison who sat
on the Parks Please see PARKS, Page A9
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